Floating sinker



J; w. BOND FLOATING SINKER March 4, 1930.

Filed April 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lfirantur J. W. BOND FLOATING SINKER March 4, 1930.

Filed April 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet JaJmHFumi.

fianiar Patented Mar. 4, 1930 OHN WILLi AM BOND, DIE-VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA FLOATING SINKER Application and A rn as,

This ,invention'relatesto floating sinkers and an object of the invention is to provide a floating sinker which will float at a depth in trolling and the like and :will be automatically'released to come to the surface under certain conditions.

v A further object of the invention is to provide a floating sinker of the character set forth with a spur or-feel'er which will auto- M matically direct the sinker to the surface on encountering an obstruction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will function with the utmost efli'cienc'y and 45 which may be manufactured with economy,

I l Vith these and other objects in view, the invention contemplates the employment of the principle of equi-poise to operate the floating body, andconsistsessentially of a floating bodyportion on which is mounted releasable means through which thesinker is connected by suitablelines to the-boat and to a fishing spoon or the like, so that the Sinker will automatically be directed to the top when struction'has been encountered; as more fully described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in i which I f Figure 1 is a perspective viewofthe'siiiker as in operative position. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the sinker. v i

c Figure 3 is a transverse section on the' line 3- -3 of Figure 2. V Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detailof the channel member and tubularlshank which is adapted to be positioned on the top of the sinker body. V i Figure 5 is a perspective detail Ofth eittension thrust pin. v I

Figure 6 is a longitudinal tension thrust pin. I Figure 7 is a section through the spnr carrying fixture illustrating the normal position of the spur.

Figure 8 is an elevationof the mounting-of the channel member on the sinker bodyin the case of the attachment of one or more Strikers,

section ofthe exor wedge.

a fish has been caught on the line, or when o'b- 1929; Serial n6. 858,396.

illustrating the shim or wedge for canting the channel member, and,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the shim Referring more particularly to the drawings', A indicates the floating sinker as a whole, made of any suitable material but preferably of wood, comprising a floating body 10 which is constructed of suitable form, here shown as fashioned with taperedends and of rectangular shape, the ends are suitably bound with'metahthe rearward end thereof being hound with a comparatively narrow margin of metal :facing 11 and the forward end being encased in a metal casing 12, which is further bound at the extreme end with a similar metal facing piece 13.

On the base of the floating body, I provide a fin 14 which preferably extends rearwardly thereof and, on the top face of said body, I mount automatic releasing mechanism, through which the sinker is connected to the towing medium and to which the line connected to the bait is attached,

This trip mechanism consists of achannel member 15 which is adjustably secured to the body centrally of the width thereof by means of screws or the like inserted from the base of the body through a series of orifices 16 and by removing said screws and replacing themi in the different orifices the position of the channel member on the floating body may be changed.

shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the channel member is positioned in an interme; diate position and, order to change the sinker so as to float at greater depth, the channe'l member must be moved rearwar-dl'y and secured in rearwa-rdly positioned orifices. On the channel member, by means of a suit- :2

- able pin 17, I pivotally mount a tubular shank 18 which is adapted to stand substantially at right angles to the body when in normal operative position. This shank may be mounted in any desired manner and the connection? here shown is an integral collar and sleeve attaohment 19 which is rigidly secured to the tnhnlar shank and is retained by the pin 17 The tubular shank extends below the memher 19, as 90, and on the fdrwardly facing 10 jection 26 which is adapted to: fit in the re- I j of, the sections being secured together by means of a sultable sleeve32, whichmay be V shank. 1

- 0f the pin.

A releasable resilient pin 21 is designed to be inserted in the tubular shank, particular ly illustrated in Figure 4. This pin is of.

curved f'ormat'the lower extremity thereof, indicated at 22, and approximately at this curved portion it is formed with a cut-out portion 23 designed to form a latch shoulder 24. V

At the'to'p of the tubular shank 18 on the forward face thereof, I provide a notch 25 and on the pin 21 I form a corresponding process 25 when the pin is inserted to its fullest depth in the shank and, at this position, the shoulder 24 through the resiliency of the pin engages with the lower surface of the member 19 so that the pin is locked in the tubular Within the channel member 15, approximately at the center thereof, Ifsecure a bracket member 27 which maybe of any suitable form, here shown substantially U-sliaped, and the pin 21 by means'of an orifice orrithelike provided with horizontally disposed eiitensio'ns' 28 which may be orificed to correspond with the orifices in the base of the channel member and thereby held in operativeiposition through the securing means of the chan-' .nel member with the floating body.

This bracket member is orificed' at 29 and 30 so as to receive therethrough one end of an are in normal upright position, so that thethrust pin may contact with the lower end The'thrust pin 31 may be formed in two sections which may be bent to suit requirements and ensure free axial movement thereformed integral with one section.

The sleeve .-1s provided with an engaging or looking member of any suitable form, here shown as a resilient'clip 33 which is secured to one section and adapted to engage withthe other section by means of a series of orifices 34 which are engaged'by a downwardly protruding lip 35 on the member 33 which eX- Ttends through an orifice in the sleeve to en- J gage with'whichever orifice 34 is brought to register with theorifice in the sleeve. By this means of adjustment, the thrust pin may be lengthened or shortenedto correspond with the placement of the channel member 15 on the floating body 10. Y

30 in the bracket member 27 whilethe outer end of the pin, 31 is designed to extend between the upright walls of a supporting member 36 and in normal operative position it exfiends over the forward edge of the floating 0d I B etween the walls of the support 36, at the forward end thereof, 'a feeleror spur 37 is pivotally mounted from one end thereof and designed to depend downwardly from its pivotal mounting. Thespur maybe of any desired'form and is here shown with a bevelled tip 38 which forms the outward extremity of this member and is designed to contact with any obstruction, ;such as the ocean bot-tom,

rocks, etc., and it will be seen more particularly in Figure 2 that in normal position the spur is held outwardly from the body by the the sinker to the towing medium and 'to the bait,.in addition to a line for retaining the pin 21 toythe sinker when said pin is. dis- :placed from its housing in the tubular shank.

. The loop 39 is'secured to the upper end of and this loop may becontinued to extend througha second orifice in the pin and provide a line 40 which extends from the pin to the base of the fin 14 and is anchored thereto by means of a loop 41. For attaching the bait to the sinker, on the tubular shank 18, I provide a bracket 42 which 1s secured in any suitable manner, such as the screw connection illustrated, and between the outwardly extending arms ofthe bracket a pulley 43 is provided, a corresponding pulley '44 being provided between the uprightwalls parallel extending 'pins 45, the line, extend- I ingupwardly, as at 46, over the pulley 43 and downwardly, as at 47, over the pulley 44 and thence, as indicated at 48, it extends rearwardly passing through an orifice 48* provided in the bracket member 27 and through the loop 41 of the line 40 which acts as. a guide member for: the outer end of the line, but of courseit will be understood that; the .line 40 might be otherwise attached and that a suitable guide. member might be pro- In operation, it will be seen that the troll- 7 ing line is secured to the loop 39 and the channel member 15 is first positioned on the floating body at a suitable position to obtain the desired angle according to whether the float is to be sunk to great, or lesser depth,

the bait attachment being secured to the l00p49,. .-.a.

' When the towing action; is started,- the sinker assumes a substantially"horizontalpothe loop 39c0'nnected to the trolling line,- so

that the tubular shank falls to .a substantially horizontal position and the pull of the line istransferred to the rearwardporti'on of the floatby virtue ofthe line 40 connecting the pin 21 to the sinker; thus putting the sinker out of action, when it will commence to rise to the surface, the rear end-of the floating body being uppermost.

When, however, a" catch has been made, the bait line, attached to the bait by the loop 49, is pulled jrearwar'dly. This, therefore, operating over the pulley 44 and the pulley 43 pulls the tubular shank downward- .ly into substantially horizontal position and substantially parallel with respect to the floating body, so that the pull of the line is transferred to the forward portion of the g iner-by virtue of the towing line connectionwith the pin 21 which is locked in the tubular shank 18, when similar action takes place as in the case of the o eration at the device; through displacement of the spur abovereferred to,the forwardendthereoi being uppermost in this case. a

. Should the fish in its initial struggle break away, it'will-be' readilyseen that thes'inker will again; come into action, this being effeeted'by'the equi poise principle;

t In order to provide for release of the mechanism at will, the tubular shank 'i-s positionedso that it may exceed right-angular position with respect to the floating body land through the recess or cut-out portion '19 in the tubular shanlgthe lower end of the pin 21 will come in contact with the bracket 27 so that the shoulder 24 is automaticallyreleased from engagement with the member 19 and the pin releasedfrom the tubular shank, thedevi'ce operating similarly to the operation when released by the spur 37.

.. In ordertoi liectthis operation, it is neces-' ea yto take in a, few feet of line and quickly ire-lease the same and on the instant of the a rebound, impart a quick inward pull to the line; I

' when more than onesinker is; used, Iprowide a shim or wedge which. is snitably orificed for attachment purposes and adapted 'toektend under the channel- -fnemben 15 so as to; cent or inelinei the same; this oorre spondingly sloping the tubular shank 18. This-'oiisets the: floating body, when in use, in the direction of the inclination of the tubular shank, so that the possibility of the sinkers fouling one another is prevented.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that l have provided a floating sinker which may be released at will; operated when an obstruct-ion is encountered and corresponding- 1y operated when a catch has been made; I

As many changeszcould be made in the above construction and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of. my invention within the scope of the cl-aims, constrncted without departingirom the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustratiye and not in a limiting sense,

What I claim as my invention is:

, ,1, A floating sinker comprising a substantially fiat plane-faced fldating body, trip mechanism directly carried on said body and a; feeler carried by the body connected with theftrip; mechanism and means associated withsaid trip mechanism and feeler for automatically directing said sinker to the surface of a body of water in which it is immersed, whensaid feeler encounters an obstruction. V ,2, Afioat'ing sinker for immersion in; a body of water; for fishing purposes comprising a plane-fiaced floatingbody, a hollow shank piyotally carried by the body, a resilient pin ior insertion in the shank and means for locking said pin in said shank, a towing line connection connected to said pin, a bait line connection associated with the V, shank and means-connected with the body for unlocking, and disengaging the pinfrom the shank. on a predetermined operation of the towing connection and means for displacing the shanleirom normal operating position on axial displacement of the bait line whereby in either case the plane of the floating bOdyis'changedwiththe consequent direction thereof to the surface of the water.-

p 3, A floating sinker for immersion in a body of water comprising a plane-faced floating body, a ch-annel member adjustably carried by the body, ahollow shank pivotally supported. in the channel member, a towing line connection and a bait line connection associated with the shank, a depending spur pivotally carried on the body and in operative connection with the shank whereby the plane of the floating body is automatically changed and salidbody consequently directed to the surface of the, water on axial strain being applied to the bait connecting line or on a predetermined operation being transmitted to the towing line connection- 01 when salid spur contacts with an obstruction or the li e-- I floating sinker for immersion in a body of water comprising a plane-faced floating body, a channel member adjustably carried by the body, a hollow shank pivotally carried in the channel member, a resilient pin for insertion in the shank and means for locking said pin in said shank, a-towingline connection connected to said pin, a bait surface of the water on axial strain being applied to-the bait connection line or'on'a predetermined operation being transmitted "to the towing line connection or on displacementof thethrust pin when said spur comes in contact with an obstruction or the like 5. In a'floating sinker forimmersion in abody of water, a plane-facedfloating body, a hollow shank'pivotally carried by the body, a resilient pin for insertion in the shank, means for locking said pin in the shank, a towingline connection connected tothe pin and bait line connection associated'with the shank, a depending spur pivotally carried by the body and adaptedto extend over the end thereof, a thrust pin operatively carried by the body and adapted to extend between and bear against the spur and the lower end of the resilient pin, whereby said thrust pin is operated axially to unlock the resilient pin when said spur encounters an obstruction or the like, with consequent direction] of the float to-thesurface of the water. 6. In a floating sinker for immersion in a body of water, a plane-faced floating body, a hollow shank pivotally carried by the body,

ares'ilient pin formed with ashoulder at the lower end adapted to be inserted in the hollow shank and rigidly retained therein by said shoulder, a towing line connection connected to the pin-and a bait line connection associated with the shank and means for automatically disengaging the pin from the shank under predeterminedconditions.

7 In a floating sinker for immersion in a body of water, a depending feeler, a towing line and a bait line connected to th'e'sinker and means associated with'the feler for automatically directing the sinker to the surface of the water through the towing line connectionwhen said feeler encounters an obstru'ct -ion.

8. A floating sinker for immersion in a body of water comprising a plane-faced floating body, a channel'member adjustably carried by the body, a hollow shank pivotally supported in the channel member, a towing line connection and abait line connection associated with the shank, a depending spur pivotally carried on the body, a thrust pin operatively carried by the'body and adapted to. extend between andbear againstthe spur f and the resilient pin-carried bythe shank whereby the plane of saidbody is changed and said body is directed-to the surface of the waterlon axial strain being applied to the bait connecting line or on a predetermined operation being transmitted to the towing thrust pin when said spur comes in contact for adjusting the position of the channel member on the'body and means for adjusting the length of the thrust pin. l i

9. The deviceas claimed in claim 8-in which the means for lengthening the thrust pin comprise a sleeve formed vwith an orifice therein, a resilient locking member connected line connection or on'displacement of'the V with an obstruction or the like, and means to the sleeve and adapted to protrude through the orifice, a movable pin having a series of orifices thereinadapted to register with the orifice in the sleeve and to'be locked by said resilient member extending therethrough; E 105A floating sinker for immersion in a body of water'comprising a plane' -faced floating body, a hollow shankpivotally carried by the body, a resilientpin for insertionin said hollow shankjand means formedon the pin for locking the'same in the shank at a body in a-lignmentiwithi the shank, adepending spur pivotally carried-by the support, an extension thrust pin operatively carried by the body and adapted toextend between and bear against the spur'and the lower endzof by. the shank and a roller, carried bythe support, a bait line' connection adapted to, be anchored to the support and extend over said rollers to displace theishank when rearward axial strain is applied to the bait line'connec tion, a tow line connected to the pin-and an anchoring line connected between the pin and the floating body whereby said pinis autopre- Y determined point, a support secured to the said pin carried by the shank, aroller carried body of water comprising a plane-facedfloat-i 1 ing body, a hollow shank pivotally carried by the body, a pin adapted to extendinto the shank, means formed on the pin for locking the same in the shank at a predetermined point, a tow line connection attached tothe pin, a bait connection secured to the body and in connection with'said shank, means formed between the body and the shank for automatically disengaging the pin therefrom on V predetermined operation, means for displacingthe shank on rearward axial strain being i applied to the bait line, means for adjusting the position oftheshank on the body to 'provide for sinking the same to predetermined depth and aguiding fin on the body.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 in which a Wedge is provided for the floating body when one or more sinkers are used, said Wedge being adapted for a position beneath the channel member to cant the same and the shank and provided With means for attaching it in position.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand;

' JOHN WILLIAM BOND. 

